SRI reports missing radioactive material

During a routine audit of the radioactive materials in the Sunnybrook Research Institute (SRI) on Friday, March 21, 2014, a member of the radiation safety team discovered that a locked, lead cabinet that had been used to store a number of radioactive items was missing.

Items stored in the cabinet are used in the calibration of research x-rays and it also held a number of low activity, common radioactive sources, similar to those often used in smoke detectors. As per protocol, SRI immediately informed the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) in Ottawa that the items were missing. Upon notification, CNSC advised SRI that it had 21 days to search for the items before providing a final report, potentially declaring them officially lost.

After an exhaustive search, SRI has been unable to locate the items and today has informed the CNSC they are lost. Officials from Sunnybrook Research Institute are working with the CNSC and local authorities to understand the next steps in the process.

"Our assumption is that the metal cabinet containing the items was removed for recycling," said Dr. Michael Julius, Vice President Research, Sunnybrook Research Institute. "We have followed up with the company we use for recycling these items as well as the two scrap metal yards where the cabinet could have been placed but the record keeping does not make note of specific items so we are uncertain if the items are there. We are continuing to work with the CNSC and others to explore all options to locate the missing items."

According to the CNSC, the items are considered to be 'category five' which is the lowest on the risk scale (with level one being the most concerning). These items are usually found in hospitals and universities. One of the items of interest is called Americium 241, which is used as an agent in smoke detectors. It is used in SRI for testing x-ray machines. The item is about 0.2 mm thick and 8 mm in diameter (about half the size of a dime).

It was encased in a small sealed lead and steel container (about six inches in diameter). It poses relatively low risk to human health when not in close physical contact. If the radioactive source was removed from the protective case, it could cause a localized radiation burn if kept in close contact with the skin for a few hours.